Shelter-tent half and poncho.



No. 703,245. l Patented luna 24, |902.

w. s. FAULKNEH.

SHELTER TENT HALF AND PUNCH.

(Application led July 18, 1901.)

(No Model.)

TH: mams Puras co. Warschau., wAsmnGToN, n. c,

lUrrnn STATES- PATENT OFFICE.`

XVILLIAM S. FAULKNER, OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.

SHELTER-TENT HALF AND PONCHO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,245, dated .T une 24, 1902.

, Application iiled Julyr 16, 1901.

To LZZ 'iu/"tom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM S. FAULKNER, a resident of Lynchburg, Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shelter-Tent Halves and Ponchos, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification. y

This invention relates to military equipment.

When actively campaigning, and particularly in tropical climates, the soldier carries as part of his equipment a shelter-tent half, a poneho, and a blanket. The shelter-tent half is usually made of heavy cotton cloth and is wholly useless except as a tent, while the poncho is composed of a rubber veneering upon a fabric base, which veneering readily peals off as the result of exposure to the hot sun of the tropics. Furthermore, the combined weight of the shelter-tent half, the poncho, and the blanket adds very materially to the soldier-s burden. Another serious difficulty frequently encountered when campaigning in the tropics, even in the rainy season, is that of obtaining a pure-water supply. Rain may fall in torrents, yet the soldier be compelled to obtain his water-supply from filthy puddles and stagnant pools, where it is polluted by decaying vegetable and animal matter.

One object of the present invention is to increase the efficiency of the shelter-tent and poncho while materially decreasing the burden of the soldier, and a further object is to provide means whereby the soldier may obtain a plentiful supply of pure wholesome water during any rainfall.

With these objects in view the invention consists in a combined poncho and sheltertent half, made of any suitable material, preferably the waterproof fabric known as rubberized wool. The shelter-tent half is of the usual outline and is provided with a suitable opening at or near its center, through which the head of the wearer is inserted when it is used as a poncho, said opening being provided with protecting-flaps to exclude the Water when the article is used as a sheltertent half.

Furthermore, the invention consists of a shelter-tent half provided with a trough or water-pocket preferably at or near the lower Vvided with Serial No. 68,463. (No model.)

edge thereof, into which water falling on the tent-half may drain and be preserved for use.

The inventive idea involved may receive various mechanical expressions, one of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, and it is to be expressly understood that such drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only and not as deiining the limits of the invention.

In'such drawings, Figui-e1 is a perspective view of a shelter-tent composed of two shelter-tent halves made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing my sheltertent half in use as a poncho, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the combined poncho and shelter-tent half.

Referring to the drawings, l is a substantially rectangular piece of fabric, preferably rubberized wool, and .2 2 are triangular pieces securely stitched thereto, though they may be formed integrally therewith, if desired. As shown in Fig. 3, the outline of the body l, with the attached flaps 2 2, is that commonly employed in shelter-tent halves; but the partieular outline is not essential and may be varied to suit the requirements. It is progromets 3 3, through which the poles 4t 4 are inserted when erecting the tent, and with ball-and-socket or other suitable fastening devices 5 and 6, which may be used to fasten the two tent-halves together and close the iiaps, as in Fig. l. In approximately the middle portion of the body l a slit 7 is formed, over which is placed a liap 8 on both sides of the body l, the Iiap on the inside being on the opposite side of the slit 7 from the flap on the outside, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 3.

To the body l, and preferably along the lower edge thereof, a water trough or pocket 9 is secured in any suitable manner, here shown as by a double row of stitches reinforced by the gromets 10, through which the tent-pins or tent-cords may be passed when erecting the tent.

The use of the device will be readily uni dei-stood. When employed as a tent-half it is erected in the usual way and the trough or pockets 9 9 on the opposite sides of the tent serve to catch the water falling on the tent, while the flaps 8 act to elfectually eX- clude the water from the interior of the tent.

IOO

If desired, a plugged opening 11 may be formed to facilitate the withdrawal of the water from the trough or it may be dipped out. The quantity of Water thus obtained is amply sncient to supply the two occupants of the tent for a full day and it is perfectly pure and healthy.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a single article capable of all the uses to which either a poncho or a shelter-tent half may be pnt, and that the soldier is therefore enabled to dispense with the poncho heretofore forming part of his equipment, thereby materially reducing the Weight of such equipment, while increasing its efficiency by reason of the means for obtaining a pure-water supply.

I claim- 1. A tent-half made of fabric and having a VILLIAM S. FAULKNER.

Vtitnesses:

S. T. CAMERON, WM. B. KESKAM. 

